The Tale of Nagato Uzumaki: The Omakes
by YAXON
Summary: Companion Fic to The Tale of Nagato Uzumaki. Every little event that doesn't make it to the main story, they come here. In other words, this will become a huge collection of various genres and contain many, many characters. Will also take requests, but don't go crazy. And I'll let you know ahead of time if I'll take on the request or not, because they may not fit into TToNU's AU.
1. Jiraiya and Nagato

** You're all probably wondering why I'm making a companion fic for The Tale of Nagato Uzumaki. To be honest, this one is just for fun. I have much planned for the Tale of Nagato Uzumaki, and it's going to be fast-paced for a while, up until about Naruto graduating from the Academy, which is Chapter Eight or Nine, and then we stop the time skipping for a while. The purpose for the time skips is to get to the main events, while simultaneously glossing over 'little' things that will be returned to at a later time in the grand scheme of things. However, what of the tiny, precious moments that aren't quite 'important' to the plot? What of the hilarious moments, the heart-to-hearts missed? This fic will feature those moments and more. **

** Admittedly, because of the nature of this fic, it won't be quite as 'organized'. I'll write what I feel like writing out at the time, and maybe even take suggestions from you guys from time to time. As a warning, though, the main point is not to satisfy romances; I will stick with canon pairings largely, if there's ever any 'moments' like that, such as Minato and Kushina, or Obito reflecting on Rin. I might pair up Obito and Rin, I might not. Same with Yahiko and Konan; they seemed to like each other in the anime, but it never seemed to happen (if only because of Yahiko's death). If you're looking for fluffy romance fics, then this probably isn't the place for you. It will have a pinch of romance, but it'll basically have a pinch of everything, bar 'Spirituality' and 'Western', maybe. Oh, and 'Poetry'. I suck at poetry. At any rate, I've rambled long enough, so let's get to the first summary. Each chapter will have a summary that explains the omake (the extra), so you guys can get an idea of whether you want to check it out or not. **

** Summary: Jiraiya, Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko lived together for three years in Rain Country. They had good times and bad times, but at least they stuck together. Nagato is the hardest for Jiraiya to bond with, and Jiraiya wants to bond with all three of the kids. So what does he do to try and bridge the gap between them? Throw Nagato a surprise Birthday party, of course! Will Jiraiya's convoluted plan succeed, or severely backfire?**

"Yahiko, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Yahiko looked to his Sensei and nodded exhaustedly. The three orphans had been doing their sixth training session for the week, and were now taking a small breather. It had been about a month since the incident that led to Jiraiya agreeing to take them on as students, and they were getting stronger and bonding as a family.

Well, mostly. Nagato was still wary of Jiraiya, but he was slowly coming around. A little too slowly for Jiraiya's tastes.

Yahiko and Jiraiya went back to the shack that the four shared as an abode, and sat cross-legged at the table.

"What's up, Jiraiya-sensei?"

Jiraiya rubbed his chin thoughtfully, thinking of how to word it.

"You guys are coming along fine, and are adjusting pretty well to the training regimen… But I can't help but notice that Nagato isn't… comfortable just yet. Well, not as comfortable as I'd like him to be. Don't get me wrong, I understand his reservations about being taught by a Leaf Shinobi like myself, but I still want to reach out to him somehow. Which brings me to you… You've known Nagato longer than I have, what can I do to lighten him up a little?"

Yahiko shrugged and gave his Sensei a wide grin.

"Nagato will come around, Sensei. Just give him time. I guess if you really wanted to do something for him, you could throw him a party, though I can't guarantee how he'll react."

Jiraiya's eyebrows rose and he drummed his fingers against his chin as he leaned on his knee.

"When's his Birthday? When's your and Konan's Birthday, for that matter?"

Yahiko laughed lightly and rubbed the back of his head.

"Konan and I share the same Birthday, February 20. Nagato's is next month, September 19. In the past, we haven't done much for festivities."

Chuckling, Jiraiya crossed his arms and began to brainstorm.

"Well, we're gonna change that. I'm not sure how, but we're gonna celebrate your Birthdays properly from now on. Cake, presents, and everything!"

Yahiko shook his head, his grin never leaving his face.

"You don't have to do this for us, Sensei. It's not like we'll die without a party!"

Jiraiya waved him off, still pondering.

"You only live once, and it's the little things that matter! Just gimme a month and I should have something special set up for him. And I'll make sure your and Konan's is EXTRA special!" Jiraiya wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Yahiko's cheeks pinked.

"NOTHING PERVERTED, SENSEI!" Yahiko blurted out, but then covered his mouth. Konan and Nagato could be back anytime, after all.

Jiraiya boomed with laughter.

"Oh, you're gonna love it! I'm never gonna let you live it down that you share your birthdays!" Jiraiya said, grinning like an idiot.

Yahiko's face matched Nagato's hair now. And that's the first thing that Konan and Nagato saw as they walked into the shack.

"Sensei? Why's Yahiko all red?" Konan and Nagato chorused, just standing in the doorway.

Jiraiya chuckled, and Yahiko tried to regain his composure, but was failing miserably.

"Don't worry about it. You'll find out at a later date." Jiraiya taunted playfully, leaving his other two students in the dark about his plans. Well, Yahiko wasn't filled in either, but he was more… informed… than his fellow students.

Now all that was left to do was set everything up. Jiraiya was going to take them 'sightseeing' for Nagato's birthday, and take them away from the ever-present rain for at least that one day. The birthday dinner would naturally consist of grilled fish and stew. Shima wouldn't like preparing something other than bugs, but then, this wasn't for Shima, it was for Nagato.

Presents might be an issue. Jiraiya had enough money to buy the cheaper things in life, but he probably couldn't afford a decent present for the kid. Not to mention he didn't know what Nagato would want for a present. Asking him outright might make the boy suspicious, and it would have similar results if he asked Konan. Yahiko might not cooperate if he asked now; he was sufficiently teased. The baby.

_Oh well… I'll think of something… _

The Toad Sannin thought to himself as they made to prepare dinner…

Four weeks had passed, and Jiraiya had yet to get Nagato a present. It wasn't so much that Jiraiya was incapable of choosing a gift, it was that nothing seemed quite 'right'. It was extremely easy to just pick out some random trinket and hoped that he liked it, but it wouldn't be from the heart if Jiraiya did that.

And then an idea hit him, the day just before the big day. He talked to Fukasaku about it.

"Now let me get this straight, Jiraiya boy… You want us to snap a picture of all three kids just as they arrive on Mount Myoboku, and just as they take in the sights?"

Jiraiya grinned, arms crossed.

"Yup! I couldn't find a gift for Nagato before today, and I think a picture of him, Konan, and Yahiko on their first trip out of Rain will be just perfect! Nagato treasures those two above all else!"

"And what about you, Jiraiya boy? You won't be in the picture…?"

Jiraiya rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"Well… Nagato isn't too trusting of me yet. I think it's better if it's just him and his friends. Maybe later I'll let them bring me into the picture, but for now I'm fine not being in it with them."

Fukasaku shrugged his tiny shoulders.

"If you say so, Jiraiya boy. I'd think they'd want you in it with 'em, but it's your call. Everything else is set up, and Ma is ready for preparin' the dinner all day tomorrow."

Jiraiya blinked profusely.

"I told her it doesn't have to be extravagant! Sheesh. Shima sure loves preparing meals…"

Fukasaku rolled his eyes, but allowed himself a small chortle.

"You know how Ma gets when it comes to dinners, Jiraiya boy. And we can't wait to meet yer students. Hopefully you haven't corrupted 'em too badly, Jiraiya boy…"

"They're only kids, Lord Fukasaku!" Jiraiya wilted under the small frog's heated stare. "W-Well… Maybe one of them has a knack for picking up my more… 'eccentric' qualities. It's creepy how Yahiko has my pervy grin down to an art form."

Jiraiya shuddered at the memory of the orange-haired boy, in a frog costume, showing off HIS trademark pervy grin. Fukasaku just groaned, shaking his head.

"I hope your students in the Leaf never pick up those 'qualities' from you, Jiraiya boy. One pervy student is bad enough!"

"I'm not that bad!" Jiraiya said indignantly, but quickly retracted his denial after another heated stare from the Toad Sage. "Okay… Maybe I'm that bad… Anyway, can I also ask for you to pick up a frame for the kids' picture? I'd do it myself, but there's really no place to shop for something like that in the nearby village."

Fukasaku nodded affirmatively.

"It'll be done, Jiraiya boy. Just ready your kids for tomorrow."

Jiraiya boomed with laughter again.

"I can't do that, it'd ruin the surprise!"

Fukasaku sighed exasperatedly.

"Do as you must, Jiraiya boy…"

And with that, Fukasaku disappeared in a cloud of dust, reverse summoning himself back to Mount Myoboku.

_The Next Day… -_

Early the next day, Jiraiya woke up his students for their surprise trip. The kids were not expecting to be reverse summoned to where they were going, and they were at a loss for words when they arrived on the mountain of the Toads. And Fukasaku even managed to take the picture without the three orphans realizing it!

While the picture developed, Jiraiya let them roam around Mount Myoboku, giving them the day off from training. It took some getting used to for the orphans; no rain, and the only other inhabitants within several hundred miles being Toads. They were aware that Jiraiya could summon Toads, but never in their wildest dreams did they imagine that there was a place like Mount Myoboku.

"Well, giant Toads have to come from SOMEWHERE!" Yahiko would later joke.

Overall, the day was very relaxing, and true to his word, Jiraiya did not make them go through a single training exercise. When the day was wrapping up that was when Nagato received his gift from Jiraiya.

"Here," Jiraiya had said simply, handing over the unwrapped present. "I would have at least wrapped it up, but in all the planning, I forgot to get wrapping paper, so… My bad."

Jiraiya grinned sheepishly, and Nagato gazed at the framed photo in awe. Admittedly, they could've at least smiled for the camera, but they were too shocked when they arrived, and the picture was taken secretly, so it wasn't a traditional, nicely positioned camera shot. Still, it was the thought that counted. No one had ever done this for Nagato. Well, he and his friends didn't know too many people, and the Rain natives treated them like the plague, but this was still a refreshing change of pace, even if it was from an ally of the people that took his parents away.

Maybe not all that came from the Leaf Village were that bad, Nagato learned that day.

"Th… Thank you, Sensei." Nagato murmured, still in awe of the gesture.

Jiraiya placed a reassuring hand on Nagato's right shoulder, and smiled warmly at the boy.

"I'm glad ya like it, Nagato. Sorry if you would've preferred another gift, but I wanted your first, celebrated Birthday Party after a few years of not celebrating it to be a surprise, so I kinda had to improvise."

"It's perfect," Nagato quietly uttered, and then shyly smiled up at his Sensei. "But there is one thing missing in it."

Jiraiya quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh…?"

Nagato's cheeks flushed, but he had to be honest with himself and Sensei.

"… You."

**Last-minute-note: Yeah, a little cheesy, and it does take a little bit of suspended belief that Jiraiya took the orphans to Mount Myoboku, but I hope you guys liked it all the same. I've done up two more omakes for y'all, so feel free to check those out, too. Not all will be fluffy like this one, mind you, so be warned. **


	2. Yahiko and Tsunade

**Summary: Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan are finally Shinobi of the Leaf. However, Jiraiya-sensei already has a team to look after, so the Third Hokage places them under the tutelage of his teammate, Tsunade Senju. The three Orphans from Rain try and keep an open mind, but Tsunade is one hundred percent against teaching a team of 'brats'. How will the three of them cope under such a sensei? **

Yahiko groaned for the umpteenth time that week. Never did he think that a Leaf-nin could be so frustrating! Jiraiya-sensei and the Third Hokage were kind, helpful, and hospitable, but their latest 'Sensei' was incorrigible! Even Konan was beginning to lose her patience with the esteemed Medic-nin, and she was the most open-minded of the three of them!

… But maybe we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. Why was Yahiko so fed up with Tsunade Senju of all people? Well, it all began when they passed the Leaf's Genin Exam…

"I am proud to announce that you have all passed with flying colors," Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, had said while radiating pride. The orphans from Rain had shown much promise, and now it was up to the Leaf to mold them into worthy Shinobi. Hiruzen glanced at each excited orphan before continuing on. "I feel that I must warn you now, however, that training will be much harsher from now on. No longer will you be fighting to save just your own life, you will be expected, as loyal Shinobi of the Leaf, to put your life on the line for your comrades and village. Can I count on you three to make that commitment?"

"Yes, Lord Hokage," the three orphans chorused, bowing as one.

Hiruzen nodded sagely and unclasped his entwined fingers. Picking up a sheet of paper, he glanced at the three newly christened Shinobi out of the corner of his eye.

"Now, regrettably, I cannot assign you to Jiraiya, who has taught you up until this point…" Hiruzen began, and watched their reactions expectantly. He was pleasantly surprised when they only seemed a little put out at that, and that they were being responsible and accepting their fate, at least, on the surface. "… But I can assign you to his teammate, Tsunade Senju. She is currently without a Genin Team, and you have met her at least once, correct?"

Hiruzen had witnessed each Genin tense when he had mentioned Jiraiya's teammate, but had relaxed when he elaborated that it was Tsunade they were being assigned to. That meant they had somewhat of a distaste for Jiraiya's other teammate, Orochimaru. Hiruzen sighed internally, knowing full well that they would have to work on that. Orochimaru wasn't the most pleasant individual, but he was a comrade, and if they ever worked alongside the Snake Sannin one day, then they would have to be ready to back him up without hesitation.

But they would work on that later. For now, they would focus on honing their Shinobi skills and teamwork.

"Yes, Lord Hokage," Yahiko spoke up. "Lady Tsunade was with Jiraiya-sensei and Orochimaru when we first met them."

Ah, Hiruzen realized at last. So Orochimaru had done or said something at that time for them to be wary of him. Hiruzen put that line of thought to the side for now, though, and continued with their debriefing.

"Very good. You will get to know Tsunade better as you train under her for the next couple of years, and she will get to know you. Train diligently and do the Land of Fire proud!"

And just before the debriefing was wrapped up, the office door slammed open forcefully, and a blonde-haired woman wearing dark blue pants, and a green haori with a gray, kimono-like blouse underneath held closed by an obi that matched the color of her pants stormed into the office with an absolutely livid expression on her face.

"Sarutobi-sensei, you can't be serious! I'm in no condition to become a Jonin Sensei!"

Hiruzen frowned at his student's sudden intrusion, and clasped his hands back together while leaning on them.

"Tsunade, becoming a Jonin Sensei will be good for you. I have let you grieve for months now, and all you have done is drown yourself in sake and gamble all your money away. You do not even take Missions anymore."

Tsunade spluttered indignantly.

"I've done my part for this hellhole! Why would I need to do anything else?!"

Hiruzen heaved a deep sigh and inclined his head to the Genin between them. Tsunade looked at the Genin as if for the first time and raised an eyebrow.

"Wait a sec. You want me to teach THESE brats? Jiraiya actually brought them back with him?"

Yahiko got a tick mark on his forehead and corrected the Slug Sannin.

"Actually, we followed him home! And don't call us brats, you hag!"

Konan was appalled at Yahiko insulting Tsunade like that, but didn't have time to chastise him. Tsunade just ignored the boy's insult.

"Whatever. I refuse the position, Sarutobi-sensei. They'll have to find some other teacher."

As Tsunade turned to leave, Hiruzen fixed her with a serious stare.

"I am afraid that this is not a request, Tsunade. This is an order. As of now, the four of you are Team Tsunade, and I will give you a week to acclimatize and get used to your team dynamic. One week from now, I will give Team Tsunade its first D-Rank Mission."

Tsunade balled up her fists angrily and stood rigid, back to Hiruzen.

"FINE, Lord Hokage. Just know that the SECOND these three have been promoted to Chunin, I am OUT OF HERE. And that is not a threat, that's a PROMISE." Tsunade paused, and sighed exasperatedly. "Come on, brats. I guess we'll go have our first team meeting."

And with that, Tsunade stormed out of the Hokage's office, Genin hesitantly following her out the door. Hiruzen rubbed his temples and sighed wearily.

_I hope the three of you can convince her to stay… Nagato, Yahiko, Konan… I really do…_

Though they were underage, Tsunade took the orphans from Rain to the bar that she frequented and ordered more sake than she usually did.

"Alright, brats. I'm not Jiraiya, and I have no attachment to you whatsoever, so let's just get this over with. I'm Tsunade Senju, and my likes are none of your business. I dislike snot-nosed, disrespectful brats, and super perverts. Hobbies? I guess drinking and gambling. Doesn't matter. Dreams for the future? I don't give a crap. I'm just gonna leave this place and gamble for the rest of my friggin' days and drink 'til I drop.

She said this as she looked away from them. Turning to them, Tsunade rolled her eyes.

"I don't friggin' care who goes next. Just go."

Yahiko stared at Tsunade defiantly, clenching his fists on top of the table.

"I'm Yahiko. I like Konan, Nagato, and Jiraiya-sensei, and I hope to like living here in the Leaf. I dislike old hags that are full of themselves and Hanzo the Salamander." Yahiko smirked triumphantly when he got a snort out of the Slug Sannin. "I guess my hobby's training, though I like messing with Jiraiya-sensei by mimicking him in every way. And as for dreams of the future… Well, my biggest dream is to unite the world and make it a peaceful place! … But I'm also interested in learning Kenjutsu, and want to make new friends here in the Leaf. And become a kick-butt Shinobi second only to Jiraiya-sensei!"

Tsunade rolled her eyes.

"Next." She barked.

Konan poked her pointer fingers together, looking down shyly.

"I'm Konan. I like Nagato, Yahiko, Jiraiya-sensei, and origami… Um… I don't like cruel people, like Hanzo the Salamander… My hobbies are making origami creations and training… And I hope to adjust to life here in the village and become a strong kunoichi… and see Yahiko and Nagato's peaceful world come about…"

Tsunade said nothing and turned to the redhead finally. Nagato calmly spoke up.

"I'm Nagato. I like Konan, Yahiko, Jiraiya-sensei, and peace. I… I guess I don't like cruel people either; people that crave war, too… I like to read, train, and learn more about my Rinnegan…"

Here Tsunade stopped him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… Back up, chief. You have the RINNEGAN? Gimme a break. That's just a superstition."

Nagato lifted up his bangs to show off his ringed eyes to his new Sensei. Tsunade still didn't buy it, but motioned for him to continue.

"… And… like Yahiko… I, too, want nothing more than to see everlasting peace. I believe Yahiko will bring peace to the world, and I want to help him achieve that dream…"

Yahiko whirled to face Nagato, who was on the other side of Konan.

"Aw, Nagato! I keep telling you that it's your Rinnegan that's gonna bring about that peaceful world! But don't get complacent, or I'll catch up to ya!" he added wily.

Tsunade's beverage arrived, and she gleefully reached for it, now that introductions were out of the way.

"Alright, that concludes today's meeting! I'll meet you all tomorrow at Training Ground 44. Now get out of here!"

The orphans couldn't have left the bar quicker. They were about as happy with their new Sensei as she was of them. Of course, Nagato and Konan wanted to give her a chance, but even they admitted she wasn't the most pleasant person to get to know.

Their first training session didn't go much better. Tsunade arrived with a massive hangover, and only taught them the bare minimum. And eventually, that became a routine. Tsunade would down bottle after bottle of sake the night before, and arrive irritably to each training session, just daring one of the 'brats' to try anything funny. Yahiko learned that the hard way after attempting to 'teach her a lesson' with a prank for the first few training sessions where she showed up half an hour late each time. He witnessed her brute strength knock down trees… TREES! He learned his lesson after the third time, though he nearly got crushed painfully every time. It was how he got his jollies out of this unfavorable situation, but she got more violent each successive time, so he stopped pressing his luck.

After the twentieth training session where Tsunade showed up with a hangover, Yahiko approached Jiraiya-sensei about Tsunade's 'habits', but Jiraiya told him to just put up with it.

"I'll try and talk to Tsunade, but don't expect anything to come from it. Tsunade can be stubborn as a mule, and she loves drinking and gambling more than anything in the world. Asking her to stop drinking is risky, but for you guys, I'll do it."

And true to his word, Jiraiya did have a talk with Tsunade. He wasn't seen again for several weeks. The orphans didn't experience results at first, but after a while, Tsunade came to training sessions just a little less irritable. She wasn't drinking as frequently. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

From that point on, the orphans did their best to get in Tsunade's good graces. It took a long, long time, but she finally started warming up. Unfortunately, the orphans weren't enough to keep Tsunade within the village walls once they were promoted to Chunin, but they were among her few precious people left alive. Even though she'd never admit it even if her life was on the line.

And in this, Yahiko took immense satisfaction in. Though he, too, would never admit that he warmed up to her as well. Both Tsunade and Yahiko were too proud, but that was just fine with Konan and Nagato. Team Tsunade had bonded, in the end.


	3. Konan and Obito

**Summary: Years after settling down in the Leaf Village, Konan stumbles upon the one Uchiha that is actually cordial to her willingly. As she gets to know the boy better, Konan discovers he's a clan reject. A black sheep, so to speak. Obito wants nothing more than to get stronger and protect the Village, but his clan refuses to train him until he awakens the Sharingan. As no one else is stepping up to aid the boy, Konan returns the kindness and friendship that Obito gave her, even after admitting to be a foreigner, and the two bond over the years. **

A breeze blew through the park, causing fallen leaves to float wherever the wind led them. It was autumn. Konan loved the autumn in the Leaf Village; everything was just so… picturesque. Orange, red, and yellow blended together so vividly and colorfully, even the brown wasn't too bad. Konan never got to experience this back in Rain Country, so she never took the changing of the seasons for granted like most people did. Yahiko and Nagato were often too absorbed into their work to take time to admire nature; even when they had time off, they rarely appreciated the beauty and serenity of it all. Konan did.

As she was on one of her frequent walks, she couldn't help but notice a dejected looking boy sitting on one of the park benches. She passed other civilians by without a second thought, but the boy in blue and orange with messy hair and orange goggles caught her eye. The boy looked miserable as he sat there, alone, on the bench. He wasn't crying, but he did look so alone.

Konan couldn't help herself; she made her way over to the lad.

"Mind if I sit here?" Konan asked politely as she motioned to the spot next to the boy. The boy, however, seemed to take it the wrong way and stood up.

"Oh, sorry, ma'am, I just…" The boy trailed off, not daring to look up at Konan.

Konan placed a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder.

"No, you can still sit here; I just wanted to sit next to you, if you don't mind."

The boy looked up at Konan with hopeful eyes. He looked directly in her eyes for any traces of deceit, yet he found none. Smiling warily, the boy nodded hesitantly, and the two sat down together. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, with the boy not looking in Konan's direction.

"I'm sorry." The boy blurted out suddenly, which surprised Konan a little. "It's just… no one's ever WANTED to be with me. After all, I'm…"

Again, the young boy trailed off, and Konan suspected he had a pretty severe inferiority complex. Again, she consoled the boy.

"It's alright. I'm not all that popular, either." Konan took a moment to consider whether or not to tell the boy about her status in the village. After a moment, she decided honesty was the best policy. "I guess you could call me an immigrant. I was born in Rain Country, and I moved here with my friends after our Sensei nearly abandoned us because we were seemingly capable of defending ourselves. In the long run, we probably should have really, REALLY thought things through. Don't get me wrong, moving here has brought us many joys, but it also has brought us many hardships as well. We're not universally accepted here, but we like it here, and wouldn't want to leave unless we absolutely had to."

The boy looked up at Konan in awe. Konan couldn't help but look away slightly from his gaping stare.

"So you're one of those orphans… I hear you're really, really strong!" The boy complimented her, which got her cheeks to pink a little. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and stuck out his hand. "Anyway, I'm Obito Uchiha! I can't believe I'm meeting an actual celebrity!"

Konan shakily took his hand. Obito easily flustered her with his one-eighty degree flip in personality.

"I'm… I'm not…" Konan tried to correct the boy, but Obito shook her hand with vigor and didn't let her downplay her status.

"Sure ya are! You're the student of Jiraiya of the Sannin! Well, one of six, but you get my drift! Someday I wanna be strong just like you guys! I'm gonna become Hokage someday and protect everyone!"

Konan blinked profusely at the boy's enthusiasm. An Uchiha that wasn't suspicious of a nonnative citizen of the Leaf? She had to be dreaming…

"W-Well… I… Thank you… I'm sure you'll achieve your dream. But… You were saying something earlier that bothered me. Why doesn't anyone want to be around you…?"

Obito's toothy grin fell, but only for a brief moment. Then it was back, albeit more forced.

"I'm the black sheep of my clan. But that's only 'cause I haven't awoken my Sharingan yet. But I will! Someday! Until then, I'll show everyone that I can be an awesome shinobi, even without the Sharingan!" Here the young Uchiha stopped, his forced happy demeanor abruptly dropped. "… The only problem is, no one's willing to give me a shot… I wanna train to get stronger, but I've only ever been able to watch people train from afar and pick up a few tricks here and there. My clan won't lift a finger to help, 'cause they see me as weak without the Sharingan. And the rest of the village underestimates me, too. An Uchiha without a Sharingan is worthless trash, right…?"

Obito finished off his tirade bitterly, and again, Konan was shocked at the radical change in personality in such a short period of time. Was the happy demeanor from earlier only a facade…? It seemed so real…

"I don't think you're worthless." Konan let out after a long period of silence.

Obito stared at her skeptically.

"Huh…?"

"I mean… the people who think you are worthless just because you lack a powerful Dojutsu… they're foolish. A majority of the military isn't Uchiha, and they function just fine."

Obito opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to find the right words.

"B-But… I… I AM an Uchiha… And I don't have the Sharingan…"

Konan turned to Obito and placed her hands on top of his.

"Not yet. You told me that you were going to awaken it someday, though… Right? Or do you really think so lowly of yourself?"

Obito chewed his lip in contemplation. He hadn't really had this kind of conversation with anyone before; it made his heart flutter, and he wasn't really sure that he wanted this moment to end. Someone actually believed in him. She wasn't Rin, but she was a student of Jiraiya of the Sannin. Didn't that ESPECIALLY count for something?

"I guess you're right. I'm sorry; it's just… no one's really believed in me before. I was beginning to doubt myself…"

Konan smiled warmly and squeezed his hands reassuringly.

"No more apologies. You've been severely underestimated, and I won't allow that to happen anymore."

Obito's eyes widened at the implications of her words.

"Y… You mean…"

Konan nodded affirmatively.

"Starting today, I'll help you in your training. Does that sound fair, Obito?"

Obito could barely contain his excitement. Not only had he found a sympathetic ear, but she was actually willing to assist him in his training! It was almost too good to be true!

"Y-Yes, please!" Obito almost yelled. He appeared apologetic when Konan cringed slightly at the volume of his voice. "Sorry…"

Konan playfully bopped him upside the head.

"I told you, no more apologies. I'll be happy to train you whenever I'm not out on missions, okay? I'm sure you'll have a Jonin-sensei eventually, but I will continue to extend a helping hand even then. And don't hesitate to come to me when you need to talk about something other than training; you don't need to hide behind an emotional mask to get through life, you really don't."

Obito's lips quivered and he felt like he was going to cry tears of joy. Best. Friend. EVER.

"Thank you so much!" Obito cried as he quite abruptly enveloped Konan in a hug, which she firmly returned.

As they shared that embrace, Konan vowed to be there for Obito always. Of course she wasn't romantically interested in the boy, but she didn't need to be. The young Uchiha had to turn his life around sometime; and Konan knew she would be the first to help this to happen. Obito would still take a little time to warm up to her, as he felt ashamed to come to her whenever he had woes to share, but Konan would help erase that shame little by little over the years. She genuinely saw the Uchiha as a friend, and Obito would come to take her advice to heart due to their tight bond. Well, there was one thing that wouldn't change, and that was his tardiness. But hey, nobody's perfect, and he wouldn't be Obito Uchiha if he showed up in a timely manner all the time!


	4. Obito, Kakashi, and Naruto

**It's Tuesday night. Manga comes out tonight/tomorrow, and I just can't work on anything that I should be working on. An Omake will keep me occupied until the chapter comes out, which it did around midnight again. And if you can't tell by the labeling system, it's relative to the current Chapter in the main story. Past = before TToNU's Prologue, Present = around the time of the Prologue, and Future… You get the idea. **

** Summary: Whoever thought it was a good idea to leave Kakashi and Obito to care for a seven-year-old Naruto for one week should be stabbed. Repeatedly. And painfully. And then boiled alive. Maybe eviscerated. **

Nagato massaged his temples slowly. He had been gone for ONE WEEK, and the paperwork was stacked higher than he had ever seen it before. He had left the Leaf with Yahiko and Konan as his bodyguards to meet with the Fourth Kazekage on diplomatic business, and Rin had to help run the hospital. That left the two male members of the former Team Minato. Nagato could have just asked for only one of them to look after Naruto, but the other would've been dragged into the babysitting duty anyway. Their friendship was that tight.

… Yeah… In hindsight, Nagato probably should have asked someone else, like Genma or Yugao, but he thought Obito and Kakashi wouldn't be too bad. Oh how wrong he was. Horribly, horribly wrong…

Nagato now sat behind his desk, paperwork temporarily moved to the floor so that he could look at the two troublemakers directly. This was going to be a headache to listen to, but he wanted to hear this straight from the horses' mouths before deciding on an appropriate punishment.

"Now… Kakashi. Obito. Tell me every little detail from beginning to end. I'll know if you left something out when I go through the paperwork, so don't try to sugarcoat it or leave certain parts out. Do yourselves a favor and be honest; you're going to get punished anyway, so don't make it too hard on yourselves."

Kakashi and Obito visibly gulped, standing rigidly in place.

"W-Well…" Obito began, but didn't quite know where to begin. He looked to Kakashi with pleading eyes.

Kakashi rolled his visible eye. Obito chickened out too easily.

"It all began after you left the compound…"

_Monday, one week ago –_

"Well, you're ours for one week, Naruto! Waddya wanna do first?" Obito eagerly asked his fellow orange aficionado.

Naruto started spouting ideas a mile a minute, but Kakashi pulled out one of his old Icha Icha Paradise novels and stared dully at it.

"Now, now, Obito, you know the first thing we should do as caretakers is check the list that Nagato left us to adhere to."

Obito scowled. He crossed his arms pettily.

"Rules-shmules. We're just gonna ignore it anyway if it gets in the way of li'l Naruto having fun."

Kakashi glanced up from his reading to send Obito a deadpan stare.

"It's called being courteous, Obito. We don't want to be accused of not even looking at it."

Obito's eyes widened a fraction, understanding Kakashi perfectly.

"Okay, okay… I get the point." Obito stuck his tongue out as he dug into one of his pockets for the list that Nagato had given him. As he started skimming it, he read random items aloud to Naruto and Kakashi. "Ramen only every few days… blah, blah, blah… In bed by ten… blah, blah, blah… No pranks… Sometimes Nagato can be a real killjoy."

Kakashi again rolled his visible eye and snatched the note from Obito. He wasn't going to read the note in its entirety, apparently. And after reading it word for word, Kakashi neatly folded the note once more and stuck it in his pocket.

"If you read it carefully, Nagato said no pranks that would generate paperwork." Kakashi pointed out, though the black sheep Uchiha stuck his tongue out at Kakashi in response. Going back to his reading, Kakashi said, "NOW you can make as much trouble as you want."

Naruto and Obito cheered together. This week was going to be AWESOME.

"Wanna back up the Uchiha plumbing system again, 'Bito?!" Naruto excitedly queried his adoptive older brother.

Obito nodded enthusiastically.

"I'll plug 'em up, and you bring the laxatives!"

Naruto and Obito high-fived and cackled evilly. Kakashi sweatdropped, but completely understood the pranksters' disdain for the Uchiha. Okay, so the Uchiha were a little snobbish… well… alright, they were downright arrogant and rude toward Obito and Naruto specifically, but still. Taking away one of man's necessities like that… Kakashi pitied the ancient clan. Not enough to deter the pranksters from their games. No, no, no. That was the problem with having pranksters for friends; you get in their way, and they could set their sights on you. The Uchiha were on their own.

A feeling of dread passed over the Uchiha Clan Compound right then and there.

_Tuesday, the previous week… -_

The rest of Monday had been spent fleeing from the wrathful Uchiha after successfully backing up the plumbing in their compound again. Even Kakashi had deigned to help Obito and Naruto in their little joke, if only to stay in their good graces. It was a good thing that Obito lived away from the clan compound, or he might've not gotten any sleep at all last night.

Because of running all day, Naruto hadn't gotten to go to Ichiraku's all day Monday, and so his two temporary caretakers took him to the friendly establishment after a full morning of planning out pranks for the rest of the week. Everyone that even looked at Naruto the wrong way was going to get it. Believe it.

"Hello, Naruto!" Greeted the kindly chef as Naruto, Obito, and Kakashi sat side-by-side on the stools. "Haven't seen you for a while! Will it be the usual, then?"

Naruto's face broke into a wide grin.

"'Course, Teuchi! Uncle Nagato's outta town until next week, so I gotta make the best of it! Ramen is the most divine of foods!"

Teuchi chuckled and began making preparations.

"The Naruto Special it is! Coming right up!"

Kakashi eye-smiled at Obito.

"And since I paid last time, it's your turn to pay the overworked cook!"

Obito's brow furrowed.

"Really? I coulda sworn I footed the bill last time, 'kashi…"

Kakashi's smile didn't waver.

"Nope. We don't come here often with Naruto, so I should know. Hope you brought enough to cover you and Naruto; I only have enough for myself."

Obito sighed theatrically. If he'd known that he'd be paying for Naruto, he'd have convinced the orange ball of sunshine to go easy on the ramen. He wasn't made of money.

Soon, a bowl of piping hot ramen was set before each of them. Kakashi and Obito waited a few moments before consuming theirs, but Naruto dived right in. By the time Obito had finished his first bowl, Naruto had eaten through four. Obito was hungry for a second, but knew that Naruto would be eating plenty for all of them.

Ayame, Teuchi's daughter, leaned across the counter and curiously asked Naruto, "So why's Lord Hokage out of the village? Diplomatic business?"

Naruto stopped slurping noodles long enough to satiate Ayame's curiosity.

"I guess. He wouldn't really say anything, other than that he was headed to Wind Country. I kinda wanna go with him on one of those trips; I don't get enough adventures around this joint…"

Kakashi quirked an eyebrow disbelievingly.

"Oh? Anbu chasing you around isn't exciting enough? You know they created an emergency protocol solely for when you're involved in anything."

Naruto smirked back at Kakashi.

"You know what I mean. It's getting, y'know… repetitive, I guess? That the word?"

Kakashi eye-smiled down at Naruto.

"Konan's lessons are paying off. You want a change of pace. Yes, I know what you mean. But you'll be able to leave the village once you've become a Shinobi, Naruto. Until then, just enjoy the easygoing life. Because once you've become a Shinobi, you'll be constantly training and battling, and won't have as much free time as you do now."

Naruto scrunched his face together.

"That why Uncle Nagato doesn't want me seriously training until I enter the Academy?"

Kakashi patted Naruto's head affectionately.

"Yep. Enjoy your childhood, Naruto. I never got to do that, personally. "

Obito rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, 'cause you were too determined to be the next White Fang! It was your loss, 'kashi."

Kakashi directed his eye-smile at Obito now.

"Oh? Is that why you helped little old ladies even when you were a Chunin? To reclaim some of your lost innocence?" he teased.

Obito wagged his pointer finger at Kakashi.

"Ah, but I got you to eventually do the same, 'kashi! It's not bad to help out others when they need it!"

Kakashi shrugged nonchalantly and finished his bowl. The rest of their stay was in relative silence. After the tenth bowl, Obito finally had enough of watching the human vacuum gleefully suck up noodle after noodle.

"Okaaay… That's enough for today, Naruto. You'll cost me my last paycheck if you keep this up!"

Naruto whined due to still being hungry, but respected that Obito WAS paying for lunch, and so the young Uzumaki graciously stopped. While Naruto and Kakashi exited the ramen stand, Obito unceremoniously emptied his pockets. His 'little brother' had eaten enough to clear him out. Fortunately he wasn't bankrupt yet.

"Thanks for putting up with Naruto, Teuchi," Obito said wryly, and said farewell to the chef.

Walking back outside, it dawned on Obito that he HAD paid for the ramen run last time, and that he had paid when it was Kakashi's turn. Jabbing his pointer finger accusingly at Kakashi, Obito waved his arm up and down madly.

"KAKASHIII…

Already with his nose in his precious book, Kakashi seemed to ignore Obito's outburst. Obito continued in spite of the feigned ignorance.

"You're paying next time!" Obito huffed, crossing his arms. "And I will GLEEFULLY watch as you do it!"

Kakashi lifted his head and lazily craned his head in Obito's direction.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" he said aloofly.

Obito groaned, eccentrically pulling at his face.

"I'M NOT GUY!"

Kakashi eye-smiled. Again.

"I'm glad you're not having another identity crisis. That stint as Tobi in the Anbu kind of creeped everyone out, and we wouldn't want you sent back to the therapist."

Obito gnashed his teeth in frustration.

"That was one time!"

Kakashi laughed lightly, giving Obito a thumbs-up.

"All the good Shinobi have a little bit of crazy in their veins. Don't worry, we love you just the way you are. Well…" Kakashi amended. "… We love Obito. Tobi should stay locked away. Forever, preferably."

Obito twitched.

"I did it to friggin' make people underestimate me!"

Kakashi nodded sagely.

"And you did such a good job that your allies wanted to put up restraining orders. I just hope you don't encourage Naruto to do that; we don't need a future Hokage that belongs in a mental institution."

Obito shook his head resignedly. Kakashi was never going to let the 'Tobi' incidents go. But then Obito froze, eyes darting about madly.

"Uh… Where's Naruto?"

Kakashi rolled his visible eye. Obito must've gone blind.

"He's right…" Kakashi turned to the side, searching for the young Uzumaki in all futility. "… Crap."

_Thursday, the previous week… -_

After the horrors that were Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday (And Nagato did indeed sympathize with Kakashi and Obito for the events of those days), Thursday was much more relaxing by comparison. Officially. Thursday was solely a day spent in the park. Officially. And Naruto even got to play with some of the Clan Heads' kids.

… Unofficially, this day still generated paperwork from concerned parents.

"Hey, Naruto!" Kiba greeted, jogging over to the whiskered blond. Akamaru yipped excitedly on top of Kiba's head.

Naruto waved happily, already beside Shikamaru and Choji, who were lounging in the shade of a giant tree.

"Yo, Kiba! Pull up a seat! Obito's got an awesome game planned for us today!"

Kiba cocked his head to the side.

"Uh… I better not join you, then. Mom was pretty angry last time something 'awesome' happened. Pranks are fun and all, but you guys blow 'em WAAAY out of proportion…"

Naruto scoffed, waving his friend's fears off.

"No pranks today! 'Bito just wants to take the four of us-"

From behind the tree that Shikamaru and Choji were sitting against, Shino stepped into plain sight.

"…"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Uh… Five of us… 'Bito wants to take the FIVE of us on a little field trip. Ain't that right, 'Bito?!"

On cue, Obito hopped down from the tree, grinning like a fool.

"Looks like you're all here! C'mon, we're gonna meet Sasuke and Itachi on the way there."

Shikamaru grumbled, "Troublesome…" And Naruto whined.

"Awww… Why do we gotta take Sasuke along to wherever we're goin'?! He's a jerk!"

Obito rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Well, I kinda promised Itachi I'd look after him today, while Itachi's out on a mission. Don't worry, he won't be his usual arrogant self. Probably."

Shikamaru lackadaisically raised an eyebrow.

"What will we be doing…?"

Obito wagged his pointer finger at the intelligent Nara.

"Nuh-uh. It's a surprise. C'mon, c'mon, we don't have all day!"

The five young boys followed Obito without another word and met Itachi and Sasuke while they were halfway to their destination.

"I trust Sasuke will be safe in your hands, Obito…?" Itachi asked his fellow clansman.

Obito chuckled jovially at his warning tone.

"Of course, Itachi! He won't have a scratch on him!"

Itachi nodded firmly.

"Alright. Take care, foolish little brother, and be on your best behavior."

Sasuke scowled up at Itachi.

"I still don't know why I have to hang around with the loser of the Clan all day, when I could probably come on that mission with you…"

Itachi motioned for Sasuke to come closer. When he approached Itachi, Itachi poked his forehead with two fingers.

"I will let you train with me when I get back. Be good."

And then Itachi disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Sasuke rubbed his forehead and shot Obito an irritated glare.

"So what's on the agenda for today, loser?"

Obito mimicked Itachi's action, knowing it'd annoy the younger Uchiha to no end, making him laugh.

"You'll see. It's gonna be an EPIC surprise."

Later, when the seven of them had reached their destination, Naruto stared at the enclosed area with bulging eyes.

"'Bito… Are you sure this is okay? Uncle Nagato warned me never to come here until I was a well-trained Shinobi…"

Obito shrugged uncaringly at Naruto.

"You can stay out here, but you're gonna miss an epic game of tag! C'mon, boys!"

The other five boys, reluctantly, followed behind Obito and climbed over the fence while Obito just hopped over it. Sasuke smirked as he passed by Naruto, flippantly calling him a "Baby." Naruto bit his lower lip nervously, but, in the end, bravely followed after Obito and his friends and Sasuke.

And that was how a 'day in the park' turned into an epic game of tag… in the Forest of Death.

_Friday, the previous week… -_

Kakashi breezily sighed. The previous day's venture had resulted in everyone fleeing the Forest of Death with moderate injuries. Of course, Naruto healed rather quickly, but everyone else, Obito included?

"I told you it was a bad idea," Kakashi said, gingerly applying a warm washcloth to Obito's face. "… And you wondered why I didn't join you guys. You're lucky the Clan Heads are used to your insanity, or you could've been sent to prison for a short time."

Obito winced.

"Yeah, well… It seemed like a good idea at the time," Obito argued. But he had a defeated look in his eyes. "… Oh, who am I kidding? I'm just lucky Anko was there to help fend off the spiders. She was supposed to make the game interesting for us, but I guess the wild creatures filled that quota."

Kakashi shook his head, grinning beneath his mask.

"Hey, at least you kept your word about keeping Sasuke safe. If Sasuke had sustained damage, those 'wild creatures' would've been the least of your worries."

Obito shivered, recalling Itachi's gratitude for keeping Sasuke safe. But also remembering Itachi warning him to never, EVER take Sasuke back there before ITACHI deemed him ready.

… Basically? Never.

"How's Naruto?" Obito asked out of curiosity.

Kakashi sweatdropped.

"Fully healed, and kicking up enough mischief for the both of you."

Obito's eyes widened exponentially.

"AND YOU'RE NOT WATCHING HIM?!"

Kakashi calmed his best friend.

"I AM watching him. This is just a Shadow Clone."

To prove his point, the Kakashi clone dispelled. Obito growled, furious that his friend left him before tending to the OTHER sustained injuries.

"I'M GONNA REMEMBER THIS, KAKASHI!"

Across the village, Naruto looked up and to the sides.

"You hear something, 'kashi?"

Kakashi frowned beneath his mask, casually flipping a page in his book.

"Nothing of importance."

_Yesterday –_

The rest of the weekend made up for Thursday's lack of mayhem. It was this day that generated the MOST paperwork. Obito and Naruto had saved the best for last with this day. Shopkeepers, vendors, businesses… None were spared from the 'wrath' of Naruto Uzumaki, with the assistance of Obito Uchiha. And a LITTLE help from Kakashi Hatake, who didn't want to be left out of all the fun.

Merchandise was switched around, and not just in their own stores and restaurants. Buildings were smeared with paint, and several places were so messed up that they appeared to be the victims of natural disasters.

And somehow, the Uchiha plumbing incident was repeated yet again.

It wasn't so much of a question who was outraged on this day, but who WASN'T. Never before had the Leaf Village experienced such widespread pranking; and they probably never would again.

Luckily for Kakashi, Obito, and Naruto, when Nagato finally returned that evening, everything had quieted down, and Nagato wouldn't find out about the previous week's 'adventures' until tomorrow.

"I hope Naruto wasn't too much trouble?" Nagato asked with a weary smile. It had been a long trip.

Kakashi eye-smiled.

"He was a little angel. And Obito had fun, too."

Uh-oh. Nagato didn't like the sound of that…

"'Fun'?" Nagato fixed the Hatake with an intense stare.

'Kakashi' rubbed the back of his head embarrassingly.

"Well… Um… You know how Obito and Naruto are together…"

Nagato's frown deepened, not liking the implications. But just before he was going to ask Kakashi for elaboration, 'Kakashi' poofed away, revealing him to be a Shadow Clone the whole time.

Nagato looked down at Naruto exhaustedly.

"I don't suppose YOU will fill me in?"

Naruto nervously rubbed the back of his head.

"Uh… I'd rather not talk about it, Uncle Nagato. Not 'til tomorrow, at least. You're scary when you're tired and mad."

Nagato did not like the sound of that AT ALL.

_Present –_

"… And that's basically everything, Lord Hokage." Kakashi said, backing towards the door slowly. However, he was pulled back, thanks to Nagato's Universal Pull.

Nagato took many, many calming breaths before speaking again. The whole time, Obito and Kakashi stood rigidly, fully expecting the man to blow up at any time.

His response was not what they were expecting.

"… I'm glad Naruto has released some of his pent-up anger." Nagato smirked as they visibly relaxed. "… However, you're doing the paperwork."

Obito and Kakashi just stared at the four stacks of paperwork that easily towered over them like deer caught in the middle of a destructive Jutsu. Lord Fifth could be EVIL when he wanted to be.

**End Note: This spoils some major future events. And while this omake borders on crack humor, I couldn't help myself. I'll probably do a sequel to this one at a later date, maybe even do up a more serious one. But for the moment, I was in the mood for humor, or at least attempted humor. Let me know what you guys think. **


	5. Nagato and Kushina

**Summary: Kushina was ecstatic when it was established that Nagato was an Uzumaki, and even moreso when Lord Third established the Uzumaki Clan Compound. Everyone else? Well… Their opinions didn't matter anyway. Naysayers soon learned to keep their traps shut, and to stop giving Nagato a hard time, y'know. **

Nagato groggily opened his eyes. It was the fifth anniversary of the Uzumaki Clan Compound's conception, and he knew today would be a day filled to the brim with celebration, courtesy of Kushina. He could still remember the day he first met Kushina quite clearly. That was the first time he'd 'visited' the hospital in the Leaf and unwillingly taken a blood test. It was at Kushina's insistence, naturally. She'd pegged him to be an Uzumaki the instant she saw his crimson red hair, and she was proven right when the blood test came back positive.

Nagato shivered a bit at the memory of that hospital visit. None of the doctors were willing to look at him, and that was the first time he'd seen Kushina's angry side. He'd vowed right then and there to never get on her bad side. The doctor did too, actually, after learning this lesson firsthand.

Anyway, blood test came back positive, and there was much rejoicing. Kushina then dragged him, test results in hand, to the Hokage. Hiruzen speculated that there may have been some Uzumaki remnants spread throughout the world after the fall of the Hidden Eddy Village. Nagato was living proof of that. Kushina then pleaded with the Third Hokage to allow her to travel and find other members of her nearly extinct clan – a topic that came up frequently, apparently. That was one request that the Hokage could not grant, and had been forced to reject several times before then; Kushina was the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, and having her out in the open and vulnerable like that risked losing her. Then there would've been outrage from the Council, and…

At any rate, Nagato sympathized with them both: Kushina because she just wanted to locate any living relatives, and the Third Hokage because of him having to make the hard decisions. It wasn't easy being the leader of a Hidden Village.

While Hiruzen could not grant Kushina's request to travel freely, he did come up with an ingenious idea. If Kushina could not go to her family, why not have them come to her? It took some time and preparation, but two months after that meeting, the Uzumaki Clan Compound had been officially established. The Compound would serve to honor the Leaf's fallen comrades, and as a beacon to any remaining Uzumaki out there that knew of their lineage and heritage. Hiruzen was saddened it had taken him this long to do something for their former allies, but there had only been Kushina. Now with another Uzumaki, perhaps it would be possible to restore the clan little by little. Kushina had no intention of letting the clan die out, but she was just one Uzumaki. Two known Uzumaki wasn't much better, but that was two families that could be started later down the road, and not just one.

It's been five years. No other Uzumaki has come to the Leaf Village as of yet, but Kushina and Nagato haven't lost hope. Nagato hadn't been aware of his lineage, and neither had his parents apparently, so that left open the possibility that others were still out there, and they just weren't aware of their family history.

Kushina planned to rectify that when their relatives were located. Not if.

Stretching, Nagato got up and got dressed for the day. They'd established an annual tradition for the conception of the Uzumaki Compound, and he'd get an earful if he was late for breakfast, the first ritual of the day. He was glad Kushina could cook, because he only knew how to prepare basic meals. That didn't stop him from volunteering to share the duty with her, though. He'd cook half the time, and she'd cook half the time, that way it was fair. This didn't account for going out to eat, of course. Nagato more often than not footed the bill whenever they went out to eat together, but she made up for it with her homemade cooking, in Nagato's opinion.

Nagato slid the door open to exit his room. Their Compound was roughly half as big as the Hyuga Compound, and it was mostly old-fashioned. Basically, it was a few buildings wasting space in the residential district, and it took some finessing to make the Compound habitable. The maximum capacity would be for thirty clan members, and would be able to be expanded further down the line when they exceeded that capacity. With only two clan members thus far, the Compound felt pretty lonely and empty, but it'd fill up eventually.

The main building for the Uzumaki Compound was a tri-level, rectangular one. On the topmost level were the bedrooms, and there were about four of them. The second level had a couple more spare bedrooms and a den, which also acted as Nagato's study. The bottommost level was the kitchen and dining area mostly. The rest of the buildings within the Compound had either two floors or just one, and were much smaller and simpler by comparison to the main building. Nagato and Kushina planned to renovate those when they had the money for that.

When Nagato reached ground level, he could tell Kushina had been up for a while already. He could tell by the smell of various foods that wafted through the air. They'd eat a simple breakfast here, go out to that relatively new Ichiraku Ramen for lunch, and invite Konan, Yahiko, Minato, and Hiruzen over for a dinner feast that Kushina was in the midst of preparing. Jiraiya was away from the village presently, so he'd miss the fifth anniversary.

"I see you started early again," Nagato said wryly. She'd already registered his presence, so there was no need to stay quiet.

"Of course! I'm goin' all-out this year, y'know? Five years already! Every year's gonna be special, but some years are just gonna be EXTRA special!"

Nagato hmm'ed thoughtfully. That statement was vague enough that one might assume that she meant the meals only, but Nagato was not that naïve. This day was spent together as family, and frequently involved Kushina getting back at those that scorned Nagato. No matter how assertive Kushina was, there were always some jerks that kept giving Nagato a hard time throughout the year. Those jerks were always paid back in full on this day. No matter how much Nagato pleaded with Kushina to withhold her wrath, Kushina would not be deterred. If that took abusing her sealing abilities to get the message across that nobody messed with the Uzumaki Clan… Well, so be it.

Nagato did like one thing about this day: he was safe from Kushina's revenge no matter what. Today was all about family. Nagato was seldom on the receiving end of Kushina's wrath, but that didn't mean he didn't accidentally set her off on occasion. He didn't mean to, it just happened once in a blue moon. Not even Minato could stay in her good graces ALL the time.

Besides the meals and all-day pranking on Kushina's part, there were also the annual fireworks that Kushina set off. Nagato gulped. That meant she'd go 'all-out' there, too. And that meant bigger, louder, BRIGHTER lightshow. Nagato wasn't sure how or why, but Kushina had a penchant for explosions, and that included fireworks, of course.

"So," Kushina continued while cooking, "I know the Leaf's Military Police Force is still on The List. They're at the top, of course. And that one clothing store that still refuses to do business with you. And that weapon shop; that guy looked at you the wrong way, y'know…"

Nagato sweatdropped as she went off The List from memory. It was quite an extensive 'list', and one had to wonder how she committed it all to memory. Anyone that so much LOOKED at Nagato or her the wrong way made The List. Once you were on The List, it was very difficult to remove yourself from it. Jiraiya had found himself on it, and had finally removed himself from it recently. Kushina detested the perv for leaving Nagato to fend for himself back in Rain, but she very reluctantly allowed the man back into her good graces steadily. He WAS the Sensei to Nagato and Minato both. However, there were just some people so ingrained into The List that it would take them begging and pleading for mercy for DECADES before Kushina even CONSIDERED forgiving them. One such group of people was the Leaf's Military Police Force, which treated Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko scathingly. Not all the Uchiha were scornful, but a large part of the Police Force was. And that's why they made The List right up next to…

"… And DANZO! That man just infuriates me like none other, y'know! You've proven yourself tenfold, but that man just won't give up! I got a very special surprise for him today…"

Nagato nervously smiled. Pranking the Police Force and Danzo were a lot riskier than pranking civilian-owned businesses, but Kushina did it anyway. Well, she called them pranks. Nagato wasn't so sure what to call them anymore; she was severely abusing her Sealing prowess, and that's all he knew. Who seals mutant spiders from the Forest of Death into a scroll and unleashes them in the Police Force HQ? Seriously, who does that?

Well, if anyone gave her crap for her 'vengeance', Kushina quickly shuts them down. Even Danzo, on occasion, backs off when Kushina's in a foul mood. You don't mess with a kunoichi that happens to be a Seal Master, too; not her, and not her distant cousin. And one did not simply talk down Kushina from vengeance. Nagato has already tried, each and every year.

He'd try his luck this year anyway.

"Kushina, aren't you going a bit too far? I know I'm treated unfairly, and the same goes for Konan and Yahiko. But we have friends here, too. We don't need to be universally accepted."

Kushina set down a mixing bowl, turned around, and placed her hands on her hips as she stared at Nagato.

"No one gives MY family crap when they've done nothing wrong! We go through this every year, Nagato!"

Nagato shrugged nonchalantly.

"Well, it was worth a shot. If I don't try to talk you down from it, I feel guilty." Nagato freely admitted.

Kushina huffed, turning back to her cooking.

"That's why these people need to pay, y'know! YOU shouldn't feel guilty about any of this! The guilt lies with them!"

"They're just being cautious, Kushina," Nagato reasoned.

"Not ALL of them," Kushina pointed out. "Some of those Uchiha and Danzo are being downright paranoid!"

Nagato could not debate this point. Some of the Uchiha, mainly the Elders, had no trust in him, Yahiko, and Konan whatsoever. Still, no one DESERVED Kushina's wrath… no matter how foolish they were…

"Alright… But could you ease up, even just a little? I still feel bad…"

Kushina waved a hand dismissively.

"I was just gonna give Danzo a few hobby books from the craft store!"

… That were armed with very seals that, when triggered, released a powerful laughing gas. Danzo. Laughing. That would be priceless to see, especially since it would last for the better part of the day. But Nagato didn't need to know that part until it was too late. Details, details.

"And the Police Department…?" Nagato asked warily.

Kushina mulled over how to word that one without sounding TOO suspicious for a moment.

"Gift baskets."

Laced with potent laxatives. But again, what Nagato didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Just the 'victims' that were on The List. She wasn't going to use any explosives… this year. She'd gotten chewed out last year when an explosive prank had gone too far, and she promised to not have a repeat… this year. The years to come were fair game.

Nagato frowned at the innocent replies Kushina was giving. Hobby books? Gift baskets? Nagato KNEW she wasn't doing it out of the goodness of her heart, so there was more to the gifts than she was letting on. He just didn't know what, and he probably didn't want to know.

Nagato would let her have fun for today. But just for today. Today was all about family, after all, and Kushina got her kicks out of hitting everyone on The List on this day. If any serious damage was done, he'd just make sure she cleaned up her mess tomorrow. Despite the immaturity of it all, Nagato did enjoy himself a little. But only a little.

** End Note: I know there's a debate about when Ichiraku's was around. One databook says it was around thirty four years before the series began, and that in one movie its opening day was twenty three years before the start of the series. I'm just gonna take some creative liberty and make it SLIGHTLY older than the one that was shown in the movie. Kakashi was pretty young at the time, and he's five years old at this present time, so that's like eight years off at most. Oh well. Please don't complain too much about it; if it's too troublesome for you, then just substitute Ichiraku's name here for another ramen stand. Only mentioned it the once anyway. **

**Just felt like doing something fun, now that school's back in session. First week of college conquered! W00t! Anyway… I'll probably only be able to do omakes this semester; I'm that busy. Besides, I wanna experiment with shorter pieces anyway. I come up with way too many long term projects that just drag on and on… JCA:A and TToNU will both be updated during winter break; don't worry about that. **


	6. Nagato

**Summary: Not all of Naruto's havoc evaded Nagato personally. Sometimes even the Hokage needs to step away from his desk and spend time with his pseudo-nephew… **

"Nagato..."

"…"

Nagato barely registered the voice as he signed off on several pages of paperwork that he had finished reading only an hour ago. He just had to keep working…

"Nagato."

"…"

Nagato wanted to answer the voice, he really did. But… paperwork…

"Nagato!" The voice began to escalate in volume.

"…"

Still no response.

Since addressing Nagato didn't seem to be working, a more blunt method was needed to gain the Rinnegan bearer's attention. To that end, the paper Nagato had just signed off on lifted up into the air seemingly of its own accord and smacked Nagato in the face.

Peeling the paper off of his face, Nagato gave a wry grin.

"Ah. Konan. Was I too absorbed into my work again?" Nagato rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Konan shot Nagato a deadpan look.

"Let me put it this way…" Konan began ticking off her fingers. "On my way here, I saw at least ten Shadow Clones in plain view, speaking to store and restaurant managers; at least four Shadow Clones that were attempting to blend in and patrol the village; seven more downstairs filing away stacks of paperwork; and now I find you here… working. Just how much more are you doing that I'm not even aware of…?"

Nagato blushed. Konan only scratched the surface with what she witnessed, really…

"Well… I…" Nagato had intended on telling a little white lie, but Konan's sharp gaze squashed that idea. So he answered honestly. "… You probably don't want to know."

Konan breezily sighed and slowly shook her head.

"Nagato…" Konan barely held back the lecture that she had prepared. That approach almost never worked; he'd be back to work tomorrow morning if she made him take the day off. Whether it was himself or his Shadow Clones… "… When was the last time you actually spent time with Naruto?"

Nagato opened his mouth to reply, but Konan silenced him, saying, "Without using your Shadow Clones." Nagato visibly deflated, his reply dying on his lips.

"I take him out for ramen every week…" Nagato said after a while. When Konan's gaze didn't soften, he added, "Me, not a Shadow Clone."

Konan closed her eyes and resisted the urge to chastise him. The urge was getting harder to resist.

"Nagato… go spend time with Naruto..." At Nagato's blinking response, she emphasized, "_Now_."

It took Nagato a few minutes to process what he'd told Konan, but realization dawned on Nagato eventually, and he looked appropriately ashamed. Nagato lowered his eyes and slightly turned his head away from Konan.

"Sorry… It's no consolation, but I have been… busy… lately…

Coughing into his fist and standing up, Nagato took off his Hokage garbs and hat. Now clad only in a simple black cloak, Nagato once more turned to Konan.

"Can you handle things while I'm away? I'll make it up to you later, I promise."

Konan merely shook her head and gave him a small smile.

"You spending time with Naruto will be compensation enough. Do you think you can find Naruto on your own?"

Nagato shrugged neutrally.

"I should manage. He's only just started the Academy, after all. How hard could it be?"

"Famous last words," Konan stated ominously.

Nagato shrugged yet again. Naruto was still a child, and besides, he was a sensory-type. The feel of Naruto's chakra was almost second nature to him. He'd fine the blond in no time.

"See you then." Nagato bade farewell, and then shunshined out of the room. He didn't need to worry about his duties as Hokage; Konan would do just fine.

… What Konan had neglected to tell him was that she had an A-Rank Mission to head out on immediately, and that she planned on letting Obito temporarily handle the Hokage's duties. Served him right for being derelict in his upbringing of Naruto, though…

Nagato frowned slightly after ten minutes of sweeping the village for any signs of Naruto. The blond wasn't at any of his usual hangouts, so…

'_Where is he?' _Nagato thought to himself. _'He's not at the compound, or the Nara's… or the Akimichi's… Nor is he at the Academy training grounds. … Ichiraku's, perhaps?'_

Nagato thought, hopefully. However, when he got to Ichiraku's…

"Yeah, Naruto was here earlier… about an hour ago. Sorry, Lord Hokage." The head chef, Teuchi, apologized genuinely.

Nagato frowned thoughtfully.

"Did he say anything about where he would go next?"

Teuchi appeared contemplative for a moment as he wiped the countertop clean.

"I think him and that boy with the pineapple hair…" Teuchi trailed off, trying to remember the Nara's name.

"Shikamaru?" Nagato asked for clarification.

Teuchi nodded.

"Yeah, Naruto and Shikamaru were talking about going back to Shikamaru's place for something. That's all I remember. Sorry again, Lord Hokage."

Nagato narrowed his eyes calculatingly. He'd asked Shikaku himself if Naruto was there, but he'd said no…

"Thanks, Teuchi. We'll probably be back later this week."

Nagato left the ramen stand and went back to the Nara compound as fast as he could. If Shikaku was being literal in answering his questions, then something was afoot, and it would likely amuse Shikaku and not him…

Upon arrival, Nagato did not miss the smirk that Shikaku did a very poor job of hiding. Or maybe the Nara Clan Head was just too lazy to conceal his amusement.

"Back again, Lord Hokage?" Shikaku asked innocently.

Nagato narrowed his eyes at Shikaku. So it was true, then.

"Were Naruto and Shikamaru here earlier today? Perhaps around an hour ago?" Nagato left no room for the Nara Clan Head to play games.

Shikaku shrugged nonchalantly. He'd be upfront and honest. For now.

"Them and Choji, but yeah, they were here. Shikamaru wanted to borrow some money, and so I obliged."

Nagato raised an eyebrow.

"What do they need money for?"

"They didn't tell me." Well, it wasn't a lie.

"Did you overhear them?"

Ah, Lord Hokage was learning.

"I might have heard Naruto say something about orange paint," Shikaku confessed. Really, it wasn't all that hard. The blond yelled quite loudly when he was excited.

"Anything else?" Nagato leveled a glare at the Nara Clan Head. He was going to get as much out of him as possible.

Shikaku tapped his chin thoughtfully. When Shikaku still hadn't admitted anything else, Nagato added, "I mean, anything else that Naruto or Shikamaru said? Or Choji?" Shikaku nodded sagely. Nagato resisted the urge to palm his face. The man was doing this on purpose!

"They didn't say anything else regarding their prank…" Shikaku trailed off. "… But I think they said they were off to purchase said paint."

"Did they say where?" Nagato deadpanned.

"Nope." Shikaku smirked lazily at Nagato.

Nagato groaned. By now, Naruto had committed whatever atrocity he'd planned out, and Shikamaru and Choji had conveniently helped him out to the point where they couldn't be implicated as co-conspirators. Well, probably. There was still the possibility Naruto hadn't proceeded with said mysterious plan involving orange paint yet, but the possibility was slim at best.

Crossing his pointer fingers, Nagato declared, "Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Shikaku's eyebrows rose in astonishment at the dozens of clones of the red-headed Hokage. Still, he couldn't blame the man. Naruto could be a force to be reckoned with when he wanted to be.

The clones hurried out of the Nara Compound and into the village proper. Once a clone discovered Naruto's whereabouts, it was to disperse and alert him personally. Hopefully the damage would not be irreparable…

Ironically, twenty minutes later, Nagato found himself back at his office. Nagato eyed his office warily; nothing had been done to the building itself, and nothing in the office seemed out-of-place. And yet there Naruto was, with Shikamaru, Choji, and…

"Obito?" Nagato blinked. "What are you doing here?"

Obito grinned cheekily.

"Konan had a mission to take care of, and I was on hand to take over for you!"

Nagato twitched. There was a reason he didn't want Obito in the Hokage's seat yet… He would be fighting tooth and nail to take back his title later. Obito was surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, knowledgeable in matters pertaining to the Hokage title, and the special rules that a temporary Hokage could theoretically invoke…

"Well… I'm here for Naruto. Shikamaru, Choji, you're welcome to come, too, if you want."

"Wish we could, but I got somewhere to be." The young Nara drawled. Choji nodded in agreement.

"Me, too. Thanks for hanging out, Naruto!"

With that, the two boys hastily exited the office before Nagato could question them further. Nagato sighed and turned back to Obito. Naruto bounced up and down excitedly right beside him.

"I'm leaving you in charge for the time being, but keep in mind that if you make my job harder than it already is, the favor will be returned later." Nagato warned.

Obito's grin did not diminish in the slightest.

"I'll be on my best behavior, I swear!"

Nagato nodded and turned to leave the room with Naruto in tow. However, something did catch his eye on their way out. Something he should have spotted sooner…

"Naruto… Why are my robes and hat orange?"

**End Note: That's it for this one. Not as much Nagato and Naruto interaction as I'd hoped, but these are usually short anyway. Hope you enjoyed, and I hope to continue to post these occasionally and make them more related to current events… Not much is known about the Third World War, however. **

** Ja ne! **


End file.
